


It's Hard to Say I Love You

by SummerPunk (RunRomanRun)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Boys In Love, Fluff, Jealousy, Jet (Avatar) Is An Asshole, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Aang/Katara, Mutual Pining, Protecive Katara, sokka is an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:00:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24519607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunRomanRun/pseuds/SummerPunk
Summary: An alternate timeline where Zuko joined forces with the Gaang before chapter 3, and they stumbled across Jet in the woods.--Sokka refuses to admit he loves Zuko, and hurts the Prince in doing so. When they come across Jet in the woods, and Sokka tries to warn Zuko that Jet is bad news, things are put into perspective. Sokka has to admit his feeings before Jet tries to take Zuko from him.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 387
Collections: Pride 2020





	It's Hard to Say I Love You

**Author's Note:**

> It's my first time writing A:TLA, so I apologize if it's not great. This was supposed to be Day One of the 30 day Pride month challenge but I got it out a little late.  
> Prompt: Wilderness/Sharing

Their group had been grounded for the past couple days, flying out of Ba Sing Se while it was under siege was not the brightest idea. The six of them had camped out in some woods along the city wall. The fire nation had taken over most of Ba Sing Se through Azula and her partners Mai and Ty Lee. 

It had been Sokka’s idea to leave for the time being, Katara and Aang had fought him on the idea. It was Toph that settled them into agreement. They would never be able to do anything with Aang right now, he hadn’t learned all four elements yet. They’re outmatched here anyway, with Azula having taken over the armies of the impenetrable city. 

They couldn’t slink through the city unnoticed, ever since Zuko had joined their group they’d managed to get in more trouble, if that was even possible. Iroh had tried to keep the peace between everyone initially, but no one had been happy when Zuko had joined them. It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact Zuko was one of the sole reasons their homes were destroyed, really. 

They all had warmed up to him at different paces, Toph came around first, and then Aang. Sokka had taken more time to warm up to him but it wasn’t until they were stuck traveling together for weeks after they’d been separated from the rest of their group. It was safe to say that during those few weeks a lot changed between Sokka and Zuko. Their rivalry grew into companionship, to friends, to something else. It grew into soft kisses, hand holding, jokes, laughing together, and feelings Sokka didn’t want to admit he had. 

That brought them to where they were now, no label for the feelings they had, and they hadn’t told anyone about it. Sokka, hadn’t told anyone about it. He wasn’t sure if Zuko had said something, the boy kept his life private.

“Sokka things have been weird between you and Zuko since we found you, did something happen?” Katara asked him. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she squinted down at where he was sitting.

“No, nothing happened,” Sokka lied, an image of him kissing the fire prince flitted behind his eyelids as he blinked.

“You know how I feel about him Sokka, I can never get over how he treated us in the past,” She sighed. Sokka nodded to himself. “I don’t want you to get attached to him.”

“No worries there,” Sokka laughed, it was a bitter laugh. Bile rose up in his throat as he thought about the feeling of Zuko snuggled up next to him in their tent, and the sight of waking up next to that beautiful boy everyday for weeks. How could he not get attached?  _ Thud. _

Sokka and Katara looked to their right to see Zuko picking up some firewood. The fire prince wouldn’t meet Sokka’s eyes.  _ No, tell me he didn’t hear that. _

“Sorry, my hand slipped. I’ll just get these to my uncle, we’ll let you know when it’s time to eat,” Zuko apologized. Sokka’s eyes widened as the fire prince turned to walk away towards the camp site they’d set up. 

“Wait, Zuko!” Sokka scrambled to his feet but tripped and smacked face first into the dirt. He groaned in pain, and Toph laughed. Sokka curled his hands into fists as he laid on the ground, his heart clenched in his chest and he moved to get up with the help of Katara. Sokka brushed himself off and started off towards Zuko when he heard a shout.

He grabbed his boomerang and jogged toward the noise. When he arrived Zuko was holding his dual blades out in a protective stance, and there was a shadowed figure in the woods.

“Come out!” Sokka shouted. The figure started moving toward the edge of the brush, and when he appeared Sokka’s mouth dropped open. “Jet?”

“Jet!” Katara released the water from her pouch and was prepared to slice him with it. Aang appeared next to her and held his hand out in front of her.

“We don’t know what he wants, so we should hear him out,” Aang spoke. Jet smirked, and Sokka gritted his teeth. He clenched his boomerang as he put it away, and crossed his arms across his chest. He stood just slightly in front of Zuko.

“I was just passing through when I heard you guys talking, I mean no harm! I’ve just been separated from my gang. I’d really appreciate it if I could spend a couple nights with you guys,” Jet explained, and raised his arms up in a shrug.

“Why us? Why not go find them with someone else?” Sokka spat. It was a dumb question but he didn’t like Jet. Nobody in the group really did.

“Who else would I be safer with than the Avatar and the newly forgiven Prince Zuko,” Jet extended his hand to shake Zuko’s but Sokka slapped it away and glared at him. “Well, Zuko, maybe you can teach me some moves with those swords of yours after you put your dog to bed.”

Zuko chuckled, and Sokka’s blood boiled. He was too stumped for words when Zuko grabbed his shoulder and moved him aside to talk to Jet. Katara glared at the two of them and scoffed as Jet slung his arm around Zuko’s shoulders. Katara was pulled away by Aang, and Sokka walked with Toph to go sit with Iroh by the fire.

“I made a mistake,” Sokka sighed. He placed his head in his hands as he sat on a log near the fire. Toph sat next to him and started digging into the fish they’d cooked over the fire. Iroh poured Sokka a cup of tea and he accepted it with a bow. As he sipped it, he felt his chest tighten in thought.

“Wow this is so much better than when Zuko makes it,” Sokka laughed. It warmed him on the inside, and seemed to sweep away all of his worries.

“Who’s this Jet guy anyway? Why are you guys so upset over seeing him?” Toph asked. Sokka set down his tea cup for a moment to speak. 

“He’s a huge jerk! We met him a while ago, before we met you. He tricked Katara and Aang into doing something for him and then tossed them away when he was done with them. He made Katara think he liked her, and they were so charmed by him that they didn’t believe me when I tried to tell them he was up to no good,” Sokka shouted in frustration. 

“Now he’ll do the same thing to Zuko, that’s why you’re worried,” Toph said. Sokka sighed and took another drink of his tea, wincing as the hot liquid burned his throat with the gulp.

“Yeah. I mean, no, I’m not concerned about what Zuko does in his free time. Why would I care?” Sokka scoffed. Toph giggled, and Iroh leaned forward to pour more tea into Sokka’s cup.

“You love him don’t you? It’s written all over your face,” Iroh asked him. Sokka blushed, but at the raised eyebrow of his sister in the distance he exclaimed,

“Who loves Zuko? Not me. Who’d love that guy?” Sokka exaggerated, but he knew they knew. He was just afraid to tell Katara, or Aang. He’d be going against his tribe, in love with a boy, who’d eventually become the Fire Lord and have to produce kids of his own with a woman. Toph got real quiet all of a sudden and Sokka turned around. Zuko stood with Jet, but his eyes turned toward the ground. 

“Wow you hear that Zuko? Doesn’t seem like he’s changed that much, and to say that about you? Man,” Jet smirked. Sokka stood up, stalked over to the two of them, and shoved Jet off of Zuko.

“Jet is bad luck, Zuko. He’s not a good guy, you have to stay away from him, he’s a jerk!” Sokka gestured to the guy on the ground. Zuko glared at Sokka.

“Ever since he arrived, you’ve done nothing but bully him. I don’t believe you, Sokka. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy, if anyone’s being a jerk right now, it’s you. I don’t want to look at you right now,” Zuko muttered, and pushed Sokka away from him. He helped Jet up and glanced over his shoulder at Sokka before walking away with Jet.

Sokka walked back over to the campfire and set his tea cup down for Iroh to pour more tea into it. He’d messed up again, what kind of luck did he have?

“You’re right, and I’m an idiot,” Sokka sighed. Iroh chuckled,

“You’re young and in love, you’ll make many stupid mistakes. The lesson you need to learn from them though, is to keep moving past them. You must accept how you feel on your own, and you must show others that they cannot control how you feel,” Iroh explained. “My nephew is a hot headed young man, but I don’t think that what you said about him will make him feel any different about you.”

“You really screwed up, good luck fixing that one,” Toph laughed. Sokka pouted at her even though he knew she couldn’t see it. Sokka just buried his head in his arms, he needed to talk to Zuko.

Sokka stood up and walked down the dirt footpath to the river where he found Jet and Zuko training with their swords. Zuko’s shirt was off, and water ran down his clean cut body as he danced through the water fighting. Sokka left for a moment, grabbing a towel and a clean shirt for Zuko before he made his way back down to watch the two boys fight.

Zuko had Jet pinned with his swords, and the sight made Sokka’s throat tighten. He didn’t like how close they were, but he couldn’t do anything about it. “Man! You’re perfect.” Jet laughed from beneath Zuko. Zuko helped Jet up and looked up at the hill where Sokka sat waiting for them to finish. Zuko turned away from Sokka to talk to Jet, and then climbed the hill until he was face to face with Sokka.

“Why are you here?” Zuko asked him as he snatched the towel and the shirt from Sokka’s hand. Sokka’s eyes followed Zuko’s hand movements as he dried himself off, and blushed when he was caught.

“I needed to talk to you, about Jet,” Sokka stated. Zuko started to turn away but Sokka grabbed him. “Please, Zuko.”

Zuko stared at him for a moment before he sighed, slipped his shirt on and sat down next to Sokka on the hill. Their body heats mingled in the small space between them. Sokka found himself leaning toward Zuko as he spoke.

“We met Jet a year or two ago, back when Katara first started teaching Aang waterbending. We came across his people and we were supposed to help them take down some firebenders that destroyed their city. He lied to us and told us everyone in the village had been evacuated, but he didn't care about them. Katara and Aang filled the dam with so much water they were going to blow the dam. I tried to tell them Jet was up to no good, but they were so smitten with him they didn’t believe me. As soon as they found out what he was doing he turned on them. I just want you to be wary of him because he’s never up to any good,” Sokka explained. The details were a bit fuzzy as it had been a couple years since then.

“Jet doesn’t seem like he’d do that. You’re just making yourself look worse, he said you’d bring up that time and it was just a misunderstanding Sokka,” Zuko pursed his lips and looked away from the water tribe boy. Sokka gaped at him, absolutely flabbergasted.

“Zuko! Are you gonna be ready to go tomorrow?” Jet called. Sokka furrowed his brows.

“Where are you going tomorrow?” Sokka asked. Jet walked up to meet them,

“I’m taking Zuko out tomorrow morning, he offered to help me find my group. Alone, since the rest of you are so against me, maybe I’ll convince him to stay with me. Since you don’t want him,” Jet snickered.

“You can’t go with him, Zuko,” Sokka begged. He grasped Zuko’s hand and held it firm in his. Zuko shook Sokka off and grasped Jet’s arm.

“Yeah I’ll be ready to leave whenever you are,” Zuko answered him. He stood up and brushed himself off. Sokka stood up brushing himself off as well.

“You’ve never ignored me before,” Sokka muttered as he watched Zuko walk away. Sokka turned his full attention on Jet and pushed him roughly down the hill. “You need to leave. Now. Nobody here likes you, and nobody wants you here, get out. I bet you’re not even lost.”

“Seems like Zuko likes me,” Jet smirked and he ducked and side stepped Sokka’s punch. Successfully knocking Sokka to the ground in the process.

“Well you’re wrong, Zuko loves me. He would never like a liar like you,” Sokka spat on the ground and pushed himself up. Jet knocked him down again and he coughed as his ribs were kicked.

“Sokka, Sokka, Sokka, I’m sure you know feelings are subject to change. Zuko would be so much better off with me, since he wouldn’t be held back by you. You can’t even fight well, you’d never match him. You’re just the meat and sarcasm guy, you’d never be able to defend him in a fight,” Jet held Sokka to the ground with his boot. The weight of the truth in Jet’s words crushed him more than the weight of the boot on his shoulder. Still he fought to stand up.

“You’re right, feelings do change. Like your supposed feelings for Katara?” Sokka twisted and managed to slip out from under Jet’s foot. He rolled away and scrambled to his feet.

“I never cared about Katara, she was just useful. Though she didn’t believe you when you told her about me, much like Zuko now. I’m telling you, if I leave he’ll follow me because he’s tired of a boy who doesn't understand his own feelings.” Jet kicked Sokka over and walked past him. Sokka sat up and held his hands to his stomach as he curled into a ball on the hill.

He felt a shift of movement by his side and looked up to see Toph sitting next to him.

“He’s not wrong, I don't have bending. Not only that but I’m not very good at fighting. I’m alright, but I’d never be able to save Zuko or protect him. I’m trying to protect him now, I don’t want him to leave with that jerk,” Sokka sighed. Toph leaned into him for a second before she spoke.

“I think you need to talk to Katara about how you feel, because she’s the reason you keep hurting Zuko. Who’s more important to you right now? Who are you more worried about hurting? Your sister, or Zuko?” Toph asked.

“I’ll always be worried about my family more, Toph. The problem for me is that I view Zuko as my family now and I would die trying to protect him. I never want anything to harm him, he is so precious to me. I don’t know how or when it happened, but gods above Toph, I love him. He is the single most important person in my life, I can’t imagine losing him. That’s why I have to protect him from that liar!” Sokka exclaimed. He knew he was shouting, but he was frustrated.

-

The sun had started to set in the horizon, so the group started to set up camp for the night. Aang and Katara were going to sleep together in one tent. Toph set up a tent of Earth for herself, and offered to set one up for Jet as well. Jet wanted to sleep in the same tent as Zuko but Sokka had refused to let that happen.

“No! You will not share a tent with him. You can sleep outside. Toph even offered to make you a mud tent! I share with Zuko, that’s how it is,” Sokka wrapped his arm around Zuko’s shoulders. 

They moved their stuff into the tent, and Zuko turned away from Sokka. Zuko hadn’t said anything to him since their conversation with Jet earlier at the stream. Sokka snuggled into his blanket as he watched Zuko change into his sleepwear. A ritual of Zuko’s that Sokka loved to watch, he’d gotten used to watching the clothes peel away from the pale skin. Sokka usually only wore sleep shorts, or his boxers, as he usually found himself hot in the company of the fire prince.

Zuko faced away from Sokka as he laid down for the night. Sokka felt his eyes well up with tears, he wondered if he had damaged his relationship with the fire bender. Sokka reached out to touch the prince, and when he didn’t move away Sokka snuggled up behind Zuko and wrapped his arm around Zuko’s waist.

“I’m sorry, I don’t want you to leave our group. If I’m holding you back, I’ll get stronger. I’ll train with you every day and I’ll wake up early just for you, I won’t be worthless to you anymore. Please don’t leave me,” Sokka muttered into the back of Zuko’s neck. He tightened his arm around Zuko’s waist, and he could feel his heart beat against the skin of his arm. “I didn’t mean what I said to Katara, and when I denied loving you I didn’t mean that either. I was just scared.”

Zuko turned around to face Sokka, and enveloped him into his embrace. He kissed the top of Sokka’s head and nuzzled into his hair. “I overheard your conversation with Toph earlier. I decided to confront Jet about it, and he’s leaving on his own tomorrow. Why did you deny your feelings before?”

Sokka’s body shook with each breath that passed over his ear. He hugged Zuko closer, enjoying the heat of his body.

“It was selfish, I didn’t want to like you. Especially with everything we’ve been through in the past couple of years. I was afraid that I’d betray my family. By hurting you, I betrayed my own heart, and seeing you being friendly with Jet made me feel anxious and angry. One day you’re going to become the Fire Lord, and you’ll have to marry and produce your own children in order to create an heir to your throne. Everything Jet told me is true, I’m a weak person with or without bending, and I would just hold you back from everything you could reach on your own without me,” Sokka explained. 

Zuko pulled Sokka out from the comfort of his embrace, and tilted his head up to join their lips in a sweet kiss. Sokka grasped Zuko’s shirt tight in his fist as he pushed back against the kiss with desperation. Zuko slid his hands up to cup Sokka’s face, and he pushed away just slightly.

“My future doesn’t matter if I have to live through it unhappy. I’m always unhappy, and you have always known how to make me laugh. You make me happy, and destiny doesn’t matter if I can’t have you,” Zuko whispered and closed the distance between them again. Sokka shut his eyes and kissed back, and he pushed Zuko down into the blankets as he wrapped an arm around Zuko’s waist.

Their kiss deepened as Sokka slid over Zuko’s body, brushing his skin against the fabric of Zuko’s clothes. A light moan was his reward, and Sokka grinned against his lover's lips. “I love you,” He whispered between kisses. Zuko threaded his hands through Sokka’s hair and tugged.

“I love you too, Sokka,” Zuko whispered against Sokka’s lips. Sokka began to move his free hand down to Zuko’s waistband, when the earth rumbled beneath them and Sokka fell off of Zuko with a thud.

“I’m glad you guys made up and everything! But I can  _ feel _ what you’re doing, and I’m trying to sleep!” Toph yelled from outside the tent. Sokka cried out, mortified. Zuko laughed out loud, holding his stomach. He met Sokka’s eyes and smiled. Sokka grinned at the fire bender, and held a finger over his lips as he closed in to kiss his lover one more time.

**Author's Note:**

> I appreciate all comments! Thanks in advance for your Kudos <3
> 
> Instagram: RunningRemnants


End file.
